


the jig is up, the news is out

by NikitaHawkeye



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Gen, Gentleman Thief v. Cop AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-06
Updated: 2019-06-06
Packaged: 2020-04-11 15:01:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19112071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NikitaHawkeye/pseuds/NikitaHawkeye
Summary: "Why didn't you leave?""You know exactly why. It's the same reason why you could never pull the trigger."In this life, they end up being on the opposite sides of the law.





	the jig is up, the news is out

**PROLOGUE**

 

      **i.** Not our jurisdiction,” Police Captain Marinette Dupain-Cheng drawled dismissively, her hand about to wave off the young officer in front of her who was still soaked from the rain, until he said:

“Chat Noir was spotted fleeing the crime scene, Ma’am, and he _—”_

Captain Cheng was on her feet in an instant, leaving the poor officer with arms full of half-eaten croissants and lukewarm coffee.

 

**ii.** _I guess I should be flattered,_ Chat Noir thought inanely as he ducked, narrowly avoiding the baton angrily hurled by the beautiful detective behind him, the withering task force lagging behind her, with the full moon casting long shadows on the rooftops of Paris in the middle of the heist.

     It was a beautiful night, he decided.

 

**iii.** Marinette yelped as he leaned in closer, his green eyes glowing against the black mask that concealed his identity, and he was so near that she could almost count his lashes… or find out the last beverage he drank because…

     ...something clicked, and Marinette looked down to see that it was her own pair of handcuffs enclosed on her wrist, the other twin locked on the steel pipe beside her.

     Chat Noir’s cackle drowned out the string of expletives that came out of her mouth in the next few moments.

 

    **iv.** “Drop the jewel, Chat Noir. That’s a property of the state, not yours.”

     Chat Noir raised his brow at the offensive firearm aimed neatly at his chest, then cocked his head to the aforementioned jewel in his palm. With a bored look, he held it up, as if scrutinizing it under the moonlight.

     “You’re right, little archer,” he intoned, suddenly pitching the gem in her direction, “among other things.”

     Marinette caught the gem with bewildered eyes. Then, she gaped at his retreating form, too stunned to say anything.

     “But just you wait. I’ll make you mine, one of these days.”

 

**v.** “Please ease up, Captain.”

_Ease up? Ease up!?_ Marinette wanted to scream, because how can she ease up when the love of her life was right in front of her, modelling the very same diamond brooch that Chat Noir promised to steal the very same night and _oh god_ — “Um, Chat Noir, he’s, he, I’m…”

     “Don’t worry,” Adrien Agreste smiled winningly, the very same smile that adorned the walls of her bedroom a long time ago, “he’s welcome to try. Besides, I’m in capable hands anyway.”

 

**vi.** _Damn,_ Adrien whispered to himself as Police Captain Marinette Dupain-Cheng appeared on the entrance for the formal charity ball, donning the usual crisp two-piece corporate attire and her ever-present badge pinned on her chest, instead of the red number he’d imagined her in when he sent her the notice. Ever the perfect police officer, and he knew she would totally disregard the formal dress code policy, but still…

_I thought I would at least try._

  


**vii.** Adrien’s head lolled to her lap as he pretended to be knocked out, giving her a drowsy grin as she peered frantically on his face.

     The jewel in the party was yet another bust. He was able to tell by its lackluster reflection of the moonlight that it was not the gem he was looking for, so he had to toss it back to a dark corner and made a little show of Adrien Agreste being roughed up by “Chat Noir.”

     His acting must have been pretty convincing, as Marinette was in his side in a second, lead by her sidearm as she tried to search for any signs of danger.

     “I’m fine, Detective.” He reached up, intent to grab her shaking fingers. “Capable hands indeed…”

  


**viii.** She wondered when it started; there are days when she’d rather hop over the high roofs of Paris to chase after the leather-clad thief, screaming and cursing included, than sit in her office all day and sign all these paperworks.

 

  
**ix.** “Chat Noir? _In a murder crime scene?”_

 

  
**x.** A thief, a detective, and a man in black walked into a bar. It was like the beginning of a bad joke, only it ended up with a dead body on the dance floor.

 

  
      **xi.** “This, again?”

     This scene was beginning to look like a recurring habit: him and her, alone on a rooftop under the Parisian moonlight… only there was a loaded gun between them.

     “Hands where I can see them, Chat Noir.”

     Chat Noir followed suit, his arms slowly rising to shoulder level. Marinette can feel the beads of sweat rolling down her temple, and then down to her right eye, slowly blurring her vision. She gripped the gun tighter, stomping down the urge to blink. Chat Noir grinned…

     ...Then took a step forward.

     “Stay right where you are!”

     But Chat Noir continued to move, the swagger in his strides becoming more pronounced, as if mocking her. Marinette swallowed, and she could feel her mind wavering at every step.

     Five paces…

     The thief grew cockier at every step, and she knew she had to do something because… because…

     Three paces…

_Think, you idiot!_ Marinette berated herself for involuntarily taking a step back, a move that completely showed her cards. _This man is a murder suspect, for crying out loud!_

     Two paces…

     And suddenly Chat Noir was right in front of her, the perpetual grin on his face still present as he lowered his forehead to meet the muzzle of her gun.

     He raised his brow, taunting her to fire. “Well?”

     She gritted her teeth, breath heavy as she snarled at his face.

     “That’s what I thought.”

     Marinette blinked, then suddenly his back was turned on her, walking away with his usual confident gait. She gaped at his retreating form, then angrily tossed the useless firearm to her side.

      Somehow she had a feeling it would always be like this.

**Author's Note:**

> Major props to mikochan_noda for making this not as cringe-worthy as it originally was. All mistakes are on me.


End file.
